Sanity is a cozy lie
by jaimek45
Summary: AU: Jayne has been taking care of Mattie since she was just a child, but when tragedy strikes will Jayne be able to pull himself out of his downward spiral or will a silent new friend show him that he is not alone?
1. Chapter 1

**I feel like I'm absolutely insane starting another story when I already have two others I'm still working on, but River kept nagging me with this one until I typed it up. So this one is set in the present and Jayne is about 28 to 30 haven't fully decided yet. River is 17 going on 18. I want to thank my amazing Beta Irishbrneyes who has worked with me on this for the past week or two to get it just right. I do not own anything and not profit was made from this.**

Jayne was late. He knew Mattie was going to be furious. They always had lunch together at the hospital, but, like always, he had lost track of time at the garage again. He was just trying to get as many hours in as possible to help pay the bills before Mattie finally came home. He raced up to the front doors as fast as he could almost running into a few people in the process. He was stopped from going in by a woman with in a wheelchair with a brand new baby being pushed outside to a waiting car. As he stood there patiently waiting he looked at the fountain for just a split second and saw a young woman, about Mattie's age he figured just staring at the water. She seemed so out of place next to all people who congregated outside to smoke. Her hair was long and dark and it blew into her face as a sudden gust of wind came out of no where. It didn't seem to bother her though. She was extremely thin and pale. _Probably a patient _Jayne thought to himself. He saw a man, about mid-twenties, in scrubs running towards her, and shouting what Jayne thought could be her name.

"River!" The doctor shouted repeatedly. When he placed a hand on her shoulder she whipped about smiling at him for the briefest moment before beginning to move her hands about in a strange fashion. Whoever the doctor was he seemed to take this odd behavior in stride and waited for her to stop before he started speaking again. "River, you know you can't be out here without an escort." He grabbed her shoulders and began to push her towards the opposite entrance. Jayne shrugged it off. It wasn't really any of his business after all. He walked in a daze to Mattie's room barely acknowledging the nurses who now knew him so well. He couldn't seem to shake that girl's smile from his mind. He almost walked into a nurse leaving his sister's room. Muttering a quick apology over his shoulder he sat down in the seat next to Mattie's bed.

"You're late!" She said crossing her arms. She reminded him so much of their mother.

"Yeah well, I've been picking up more hours. Gotta make sure we still have money when ya come home." He grinned at her. She looked nearly identical to him, just more girlish. Same tan skin and bright blue eyes, it was like the Cobb trademark. He frowned when he noticed her untouched food. "Mattie, the doctor said ya have ta eat." He said flatly.

"Not very hungry these days. The medications make me sick." She frowned down at her food.

"Yeah, well I see ya got room for the puddin' they bring ya everyday." He raised an eyebrow.

"Ain't it enough I eat that?" She spat back at him.

"Brat."

"You know you love me." She stuck her tongue out at him and then quickly drew it back as a doctor walked in the room.

"Ah Matalee. How are you feeling today?" He grinned.

"Mattie, if you please." If looks could kill that doctor would be six feet under. "I'm fine." She smiled at him. Jayne laughed at its obvious fakeness.

"Alright Mattie, I'm going to have the nurse come in to get another blood sample after lunch so I would like all your food gone, please" He said cheerily before exiting making an eating motion with his hand to his mouth.

"What a big horse's ass." She hissed down at her tray. However as she looked up her expression softened. Jayne looked confused for a moment before turning back to the door to see the young woman from outside standing there. She didn't even seem to see him as she made a strange circular motion over her chest with her right hand. Jayne looked back to his sister who appeared to know her, and was smiling. "Oh, it's okay Riv. You weren't bothering no one." Mattie said happily. "Oh! Where are my manners? River, this is my older brother Jayne. Jayne, this is my friend, River"

"Hi." He nodded. The girl made no sound, but simply nodded at him, and then turned her attention back to his sister.

"So how are ya feelin' today Riv?" The girl shrugged and held out a pudding cup towards Mattie. She still hadn't budged from the door. Mattie grinned mischievously at her. "You know your brother is eventually going to figure out you've been stealing from the cafeteria." Another shrug. "Well thank you Riv." The girl handed her the pudding before raising her right hand in a cupping motion and swing it down towards her belly in an arc formation. Mattie smiled at her and said, "Why don't ya come sit down and talk awhile." River looked at Jayne for a moment before taking the seat on the other side of Mattie's bed. "Jayne why don't you tell River about the time we went camping" Jayne shot her his best 'shut up' look before Mattie started smiling.

"See Jayne here decided that it would be a good idea to go camping, but he didn't bother to learn how to put up a tent before we went." River smiled at the start of the story encouraging Mattie to go on. "After four hours of him cussin' up a storm and me yellin' at him to ask someone for help a park ranger took pity on us and set it up."

"Now wait a minute he just helped me." Jayne spoke up, he didn't know why he cared, but he didn't want to look bad in front of his sister's new friend.

"Oh Jayne! He set it up himself! You were too busy kicking stuff." Mattie giggled.

"Yea and as soon as he set it up he got ta hittin' on ya!" Jayne steamed at the thought of some older guy taking advantage of his baby sister. River smiled at the argument between the two. Simon would never be seen talking like this, which made it all the more interesting.

"Yea well that wasn't none of your business! Ya just had to scare him off didn't ya?" Mattie was staring daggers at Jayne.

"No you did that all on your own." Jayne turned his attention back to River who was smiling from ear to ear. "Mattie here forgot to put on bug repellent. She was polka dotted when we left and the guy couldn't get away from her fast enough." River did her best to not offend her new friend, but the idea of Mattie covered in bug bites and being polka dotted set her off and she let a loud laugh slip through her lips as she grinned at Jayne, who was also laughing. Mattie looked between the two for a moment before joining in. They were all cut off by a loud knocking on the door frame as a nurse popped her head in.

"River sweet heart, you're late for your appointment with Ms. Serra." She smiled at everyone in the room as River stood up to wave goodbye to Jayne and Mattie.

"Bye Riv, I'll see ya tomorrow." Mattie waved.

"Nice ta meet ya." Jayne nodded as River waved at him. As soon as River was out of sight Jayne spoke up.

"That girl don't say much does she? Just makes those weird movements with her hands" Jayne smirked.

"She's mute Jayne." Mattie glared. Jayne immediately felt like a huge ass. "That's sign language. It's how she communicates with people. Although from what the nurses told me she only uses it with her brother and myself. So I've been studying, picking up a few things to make it easy on the poor girl."

"What's wrong with her?" Jayne continued to look at the ground, feeling shamed by his sister. Mattie was always doing things like that. Going above and beyond for people she hardly even knew.

"She was in a car accident with her parents. They died, but she had no physical damage. An awful lot of emotional trauma though. She's got nothing wrong with her physically it's all just mental." Mattie shrugged digging into her new pudding.

"Didn't think the nurses could tell ya that stuff about other patients." Jayne said trying to call his sister on her bullshit.

"They can't. Her brother told me. He's a doctor here." Mattie put another spoonful into her mouth and smiled.

"Well, if there ain't nothin' wrong with her why's she here?"

"She lives upstairs in the psyche ward. She just wanders around during the day, but the hospital staff are all friends with her brother. Besides she isn't dangerous." Mattie shrugged.

"And just how long has she been pilfering puddings for ya?" Jayne laughed, knowing without a doubt that his baby sister probably suckered this poor girl into stealing for her.

"Bout a month." Mattie grinned. "Got into an argument with the nurse about eating. Riv must have heard the only thing I really eat here is the pudding. Next thing I know she's bringing me one for every meal."

"Seems like a sweet kid." Jayne shrugged.

"Yes, and she's awful pretty Jayne. Don't ya think?" He turned and stared at his sister with his mouth hanging open. "I'm just saying I've known her a month and I've never heard her laugh; you're hear a day and she can barely contain herself." She teased.

"Yea that's what I need. A Crazy girlfriend that don't talk." Jayne laughed.

"Don't be rude Jayne!" Mattie hissed. "So how have you been?" He discussed his day with Mattie and told her about what all needed to be done at home, while she informed him of all the good hospital gossip. Apparently the nurses and doctors got around a lot. Before he knew it his lunch break was over, and he had to leave. He gave his sister a quick kiss on the forehead before heading out the door.

He had just about made it to the front entrance when he slammed into someone. He thought at first it was a little old lady or maybe a child, but he looked down and came face to face with his sister's strange little friend River. He had knocked her to the floor so he tried to help her up, but she just brushed him off. They stood there for a moment in total silence, blue eyes staring into chocolate brown ones when a thought popped into his head. The motion she had done walking into the room; a hand in a circular motion over the chest. If he had figured it correctly that had meant something along the lines of sorry. She didn't seem to be saying anything, but simply staring at him. She looked as though she might be studying him. He quickly signed sorry to her, hoping he was correct, and saw with relief that she didn't look anymore upset than she already was. She signed back to him. He shook his head signaling he didn't understand her. Now she looked mad.

"River!" They both turned to see the man from earlier standing there. "Sir, I am so sorry for whatever she did." River turned and glared before punching him in the arm.

"No it's my fault I wasn't paying attention. I knocked her down." He signed sorry to her again. This time he got a more upset look and she signed something again. Jayne looked to the doctor, who looked amused, and shrugged.

"She says I'm not deaf you don't have to sign." Jayne blushed at that.

"Sorry. Just going off basic information from my sister." She glared and signed at him again before storming off. The doctor smiled at him.

"She said Mattie wouldn't tell you that she's deaf." Simon laughed. "You're Mattie's brother?"

"Yea." He nodded "Name's Jayne." He stuck his hand out for him to shake.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Doctor Simon Tam, River's brother. I believe she likes you." Simon smiled at his sister, who was once again staring at the fountain.

"Don't think so by some of those looks I got." Jayne smirked "She really likes Mattie though. Mattie likes her too. Said she's been learning some sign language." Jayne was proud of his baby sister.

"Oh yes! Mattie is just delightful. River really has taken quite the shine to her. Which is nice, she doesn't really have any friends." Simon didn't bother looking at him while he spoke, choosing rather to keep a watchful eye on his sister. "But she does like you. If she didn't she wouldn't have bothered speaking to you."

"Well ain't that something." Jayne smirked as a warm sensation overtook his chest. His sister wasn't wrong; she was a very pretty girl. "Probably just cause I'm Mattie's brother." Jayne shrugged.

"With River one seldom knows." Simon smiled toward his sister. "Well Jayne it was wonderful to meet you. I best go get her or she'll wander off again." Simon waved as he raced after his sister who was walking through some flowers. Jayne smiled musing on River and her brother as he walked to his car. He was glad that Mattie had someone here to talk to, even if they didn't talk back.

**Alright so let me know what you think and whether or not I should continue. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Read and review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to thank everyone who has started following, has favorited, or reviwed for this story it really means a lot! I want to give a big thanks to my super awesome beta Irishbrneyes! she is super amazing and this story wouldn't have made it off the ground without her!**

"Jayne!" Kaylee's yell startled him. He jumped causing his head to slam into the underside of the hood of the car he was working on.

"OW!" He hollered. "Gorramit! What Kaylee?" He looked over and saw her sitting on the car she was currently working on waiting for him to pay attention to her.

"Don't you start coppin' an attitude with me Jayne Cobb!" She crossed her arms over her chest shooting him an icy glare. "You've been ignorin' me all day."

As he thought on that he realized that he had been. His mind had been wandering every so often now to that beautiful, tiny slip of a girl at the hospital. He'd been thinking about her laugh that reminded him of the wind chimes Mama Cobb always had on their porch in the summer. Then his thoughts turned to her deep brown eyes, and those luscious pink pouty lips. A man such as him shouldn't be thinking of a girl that young. Why she couldn't be much older than Mattie, if she was even that old.

"I have not been ignorin' you, Kaylee! I've been tryin' to figure out the ruttin' problem with this." He called over his shoulder glaring at the engine he was struggling to get fixed.

"Alright fine, but will ya listen fer just a second?" He knew without even looking that Kaylee was pouting, jutting her bottom lip out trying to score some sympathy from him. Jayne didn't know why she was even bothering to do it since he wasn't even looking at her.

" What ya need, Kay?"

"Well my husband finally has a weekend off, and I was wondering if you could take my shift this weekend. Just Saturday so's we can make a day of it." Kaylee gave him her 1000 watt smile, and seeing that he groaned inwardly.

"Yea sure no problem." He sighed slamming the hood down on the beat up old Mazda he had been working on for the better part of an hour. "Hey Kay I gotta go. Gonna meet up with Mattie for lunch. Could you do me a solid and work on Mrs. Kratzky's car for me? You're a genius with these types of things. Maybe you can figure it out cause I sure as hell can't."

"Well thanks fer all the flattery, but you know I woulda done it anyways. Say hi to Mattie for me." She smiled at him turning her attention to the car Jayne had just given up on.

As he put his tools away, and headed for the locker room he started thinking about his relationship with Kaylee. She was his best friend, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about hitting on her a time or two. The first time she ever mentioned her husband though he put a stop to the thoughts, and stopped having to many conversations with her in general. Not that she wasn't great, she was, but she did have the tendency to prattle on about the most mundane subjects. She was always happy about working on cars. It was her thing and Kay was great at it, but to Jayne it wasn't anything but a well paying job that got the bills paid. He always wanted to do something different. He use to think about buying a big plot of land like his parents use to have and being a farmer. Just living off the land the way his father had, but Mattie was always a sickly kid, and they needed to be near a hospital even before she was permanently in one.

The sky was a dark grey as he parked in the visitors parking lot. As he made his way into the hospital fat ran drops began to pelt his head and back. He shook his head off like a dog when he made it through the front doors, but stopped when he heard a woman giggle. He turned to his left to see River, his sister's very silent, yet very pretty friend, laughing at him. He smirked at her before walking slowly towards her.

"Hey River." He nodded as he headed for the elevators. "Ya gonna be joining me and Mattie for lunch?" She nodded her head and skipped along behind him joyously. He remained quiet the entire ride up until he looked down and saw that River was holding two packs of chocolate pudding in her hands. He raised an eyebrow at her, but remained silent. When they made it to Mattie's room he groaned in frustration. She was out cold. The poor kid was always tired with all the pain meds they had her on. It must have been a bad day for her. River ducked around him quietly leaving a pudding on Mattie's small bedside table. She patted Jayne's arm and moved out into the hallway. He looked at Mattie a little longer before deciding that he just wasn't gonna see Mattie until after he got off work that evening. Coming out of the room he saw River sitting in a chair in the hallway.

"It was good ta see ya River, but I gotta go get lunch and then head on back to work." He said trying not to hurt her feelings. For all the good it did she frowned at him anyway making him feel bad. Stretching out her hand she offered him the other pudding she was carrying. "This one for me?" he chuckled.

She nodded.

"Well thanks pixie, but I can't survive on only puddin'. I'm growin' boy ya know."

She rolled her eyes and started to try and sign to him.

"Okay, you're gonna have to stop doin' that and either write it down or start talkin'!" He watched as her face dropped and he nstantly regretted what he's said. She was glaring at him, her face clearing calling him out on his ability to be a total asshole. "Look I'm sorry, fergot myself fer a second."

She seemed okay with that answer and grabbed the sleeve of his shirt pulling him towards the directory. She pointed to where it said cafeteria and then looked back at him with a questioning smile. God she was pretty when she smiled. "Oh you wanna eat lunch with me?"

She made a fist and moved it up and down at the wrist.

"That mean yes?"

She did it again nodding her head.

"So what's no."

She quickly brought her pointer and middle finger together and brought them down to her thumb.

"Good now I can ask ya yes and no questions without ya hurtin' yer neck." She giggled again and dragged him towards the elevators.

Jayne had to admit for someone who didn't talk the girl could make him laugh. Her subtle face changes when he was telling her stories about Mattie were better than anything she could have said. He was in the middle of telling River about Mattie's first boyfriend when someone shattered the little world they had built for themselves.

"RIVER!" They both turned to see the her brother walking swiftly towards them. Jayne laughed to himself at how upset the doctor looked.

"He always act like this?" He asked through his own laughter. She raised an eyebrow trying to understand what he was saying. "Ya know, like he's got a stick shoved so far up his ass he could probably taste it" River threw her head back and laughed harder than he had heard her laugh since they met. She signed yes to him again just as Simon got to the table.

"River, you're late for your appointment with Mr. Wing." He placed his hands on his hips, which just caused River's giggle fit to continue. "You know Mr. Wing doesn't like it when you're late."

Simon watched in horror as River signed to him carefully making sure he didn't miss anything that she wanted him to know about what she thought of _Mr. Wing_. Jayne could tell by the look on Simon's face that River had said something she probably shouldn't have.

"River Elizabeth Tam! We pay good money to have Mr. Wing come in here to talk with you. Not to mention he is a genius in this field! You owe him some respect and your gratitude."

River barely waited for him to finish his sentence before she was signing frantically.

"River! Stop that this instant!" He yelled as he slapped her hands down. "I do not know where you learned that language, but it will stop immediately. Now you will get upstairs and go meet with Mr. Wing NOW!" River was taken aback by Simon's anger. She turned her attention to Jayne and signed to him. He looked to Simon for a translation. Simon sighed. "She says it was wonderful to see you again Jayne and she apologizes for her brother being such a jerk—" He was cut off when she elbowed him in the side. " a pompous ass and ruining all our fun. Maybe we'll see each other again when you come in tomorrow to be with Mattie."

"Yea see ya then lil' bit. Thanks for eatin' lunch with me." He smirked as she darted off to whatever extremely important meeting she had. "She's quite the firecracker, Doc" Jayne laughed as he stood up to throw away his trash.

"Yes, she does have her moments." Simon smiled uncomfortably. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt having this somewhat older man hang around his sister; no matter how good it was for her. He didn't mind when they were with Mattie, but them being alone together was just unsettling. "So has she said anything to you?"

"Nope. Just taught me yes and no. Told stories her about Mattie, and she laughed. Sometimes so hard she 'bout fell out of her chair." Jayne shrugged with a small remembering smile.

"She laughed? Out loud?!" Simon asked like this was a massive miracle.

"Calm down Doc, ain't no big deal." Jayne shrugged again. Simon rolled his eyes, all this shrugging was going to drive him insane.

"Actually, Mr. Cobb, it's a very huge deal. River hasn't laughed in a long time. Nearly three years. This is a huge step in her recovery." Simon was astonished. His baby sister, his little River hadn't spoken to him in three years. He hadn't heard her laugh or cry in three years either, and yet in just two days, with a total stranger, she was laughing again as if she had never stopped.

"Oh, well then… she was laughin' yesterday, too. My sister was tellin' her 'bout a camping trip we went on, and she started giggling." Simon's mouth dropped open. "Ya ever think that maybe she doesn't do that stuff fer ya because ya make such a big deal outta it?"

"Do you think that's it?" Simon hadn't even really thought about it, but River wasn't really one for making things into more than what they were, and if he was being honest to himself, Simon did like to hover. Especially where River was concerned.

"Maybe, but what do I know. Oh, and my name is Jayne. My father was the only Mr. Cobb, but anyway…" Jayne looked away from the doctor, trying to find an escape route. He looked up at the time. "Shit! Is it really that late?"

"Um…" Simon looked at the clock on the wall and then checked his phone which was in his pocket. "Yes it is."

"I gotta go Doc." Jayne waved over his shoulder as he bolted towards the elevators.

Before he left the hospital he wanted to say goodbye to Mattie. If she was even awake that is. Mattie was indeed awake and sitting in the room quietly waiting for Jayne with her doctor. Neither looked at all happy, and he could tell that she had been crying. Jayne slowed his pace as he walked into the room.

"Ah, Mr. Cobb, please come in. We were wondering when you would show up." The doctor said flatly.

"And where have you been big brother?" Mattie asked with just the slightest hint of a smirk on her face.

"I…uh… when I got here you was asleep so I ended up havin' lunch with River down in the cafeteria." He explained sheepishly while Mattie raised an eyebrow at his explanation, but let it drop for the moment.

"Doctor Smiles-A-Lot over here has some news for us." She said crossing her arms over her chest. He knew that she had already heard whatever it was, and knew that it wasn't going to be good.

"Yes, well, as you know we have been monitoring your sister's tumors for several months now since she had her surgery to retrieve the ones that we were able to remove." He waited for Jayne to acknowledge what had been said so far. When no answer came he continued. "Over the past few months of chemotherapy we were hopeful, but to no avail the tumors have to grow back slowly. I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but at this point in her treatment we feel that there is nothing more that we can medically do."

"What?" It was not registering in Jayne's mind what this moron of a doctor was trying to tell him.

"I said that there is nothing more that we can do for your sister."

"So, with knowing what type of news you'd be deliverin', you told my sister, who's only 16, that she doesn't have any other options, and that she's dyin' while she was alone? You couldn't have waited for her kin to get here to drop that bomb on her?" Jayne had never wanted to hit someone more in his life. As it was he was having a hard time keeping his fisted hands down at his side.

"Your sister asked to be informed of this by herself. When a patient is a certain age, which she happens to be, we typically take their wants, and wishes into consideration before that of the families." The doctor said backing away from Jayne as slow, and as fast, as he could. "I'm sorry, but that's the policy of—"

"How long?" Jayne interrupted as he looked between Mattie and the 'good' doctor. His sister, for all the information she had gotten today, seemed to be taking everything pretty well and in stride.

"It's hard to put a time limit on this sort of situation—" Jayne cut him off.

"Give it your best guess then. Just give us some kind of a time frame here doc." Jayne said through his teeth as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"A couple of weeks. Maybe a month at most." The doctor said as he stood up and crossed the room. He stopped at the door looking back at Jayne and Mattie sadly. "If you need anything, or if you have any more questions, whatever they may be, please have one of the nurses page me immediately. I am truly sorry Matalee."

"Thank you doctor." Mattie nodded and gave him a small smile. Returning her smile with a rare one of his own he left her room shutting the door as he went.

The silence in the room was eerie, and so much tension you could cut it with a knife. It was making Jayne very uncomfortable. He tried to clear his throat, but it felt like something was stuck in there. He felt his eyes start to water, and he couldn't stop himself as he started to cry. Mattie was the only person he had left in this world and now he was losing her, too.

"Jayne stop!" Mattie chastised him from her bed. "Would you please be a grown up about this!"

"The doctor just told ya that you're dyin' and yer mad at me fer cryin'?" Jayne said growing upset at how she was taking this.

"Well… it was bound to happen at some point." She shrugged.

"No! After your last operation they said that you would be fine."

"Oh! You just hear what you want to hear don't you?" She said while glaring at him. "What they said after my last operation was that they weren't sure. And that with chemo I had a slim chance at best. That's what _they_ said"

"Yea well… I don't understand how ya can be so calm about this, lil' sis. This _is_ me _being a grown up_." Holding his hand in one of hers, and with the other she turned him to look at her.

"Like I said before, this news isn't really that shocking since we knew it was a possibility." Now she had the Cobb's signature smirk on her face. "So? Tell me about your little _date_ with River." She giggled to herself as she emphasized the word date. She was going to change the topic of conversation if it was the last thing she did.

"It wasn't a date you lil' busy body! You're too much like ma!" He couldn't help but smile at Mattie's wicked sense of humor where he, and his _love life_ were concerned.

"Well…you know big brother I would really love to see you settled before I'm gone." She giggled to herself. Jayne didn't find it nearly as funny.

"With a girl who don't talk, and just so happens to live in a Psych ward?!"

"That's mean Jayne, but then again now that I think about it a girl would have to be crazy to get involved with the likes of you." She started laughing so much her sides hurt.

"I don't have to sit here and take this from you!" He stood up and pretended to stomp across the room. "I'm going back to work." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Well good! Don't want ya stickin' round here anyways."

"Good. See ya tomorrow brat! Love ya." He said as he smiled and waved as he left.

"Yea, I love ya too! See ya then." She smiled and waved happy in the knowledge that he would be back tomorrow. She was bound and determined to make sure he had someone when she was gone, and her new best friend River was absolutely ruttin' perfect for him.

**Let me know what you think please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I want to thank everyone who had reviewed or favorited this story. It really means alot. I also want to thank my super awesome Beta who has kept me writing even though I have had a lot piled on my plate as of late. I do not own anything and no profit was made.**

Jayne was on a war path trying to find River's brother. He was hoping that there might be some way Simon could help with Mattie's current medical state. Her health had been rapidly declining since they received the news, and Jayne wasn't handling it well. He just couldn't believe that the doctors had done everything. He figured that since he and Mattie had helped River out, now it was time for her brother to return the favor. If only he could find him. It had taken almost an hour to track down Mattie's doctor and get her files; he had to resort to physical violence. The doctor hadn't thought it was a good idea for him to read them; big, big mistake. So now he was stomping around the hospital like a giant trying to find that stuck up idiot. Jayne had never really thought to ask what kind of doctor he was, and now he was kicking himself for it. He was lost in his own thoughts about Mattie when he ran into someone. He looked down to see a young nurse standing in front of him a huge smile plastered to her face like she had just found her Christmas presents early.

"I'm so sorry, sir." _Sir?_ He thought raising an eyebrow. "I wasn't paying attention. Is there something I can help you with?" She seemed to be pushing her chest out a little farther than was necessary. _Is she flirting?_ He asked himself.

"I'm lookin' fer a doctor." He said trying to will Simon to appear like he was in the habit of doing.

"Well you've definitely some to the right place." She giggled as she tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. _Yep, definitely flirting._ Normally he would have been more than willing to take her up on the obvious offer, but, lately, he was having a hard time not thinking about a certain dark haired, silent, girl who roamed these very halls.

"No, I'm lookin' fer a specific one." He said flatly hoping to get the point across that he was in no way interested.

"Well, what's the doctor's name?" She frowned finally getting the message.

"Simon… something that starts with a T." He said trying to will his brain to remember.

"Doctor Tam?" _Tam…? Where have I heard that name before?_

"Yeah! I think that's it."

"Well he's the only doctor here with the first name Simon. You're in luck. I believe he just got out of surgery, and he's in his office. Just down the hall; second door on your right." She gave him a saccharin sweet smile again. Pouring everything she had into it trying one last time to get a date out of him. "You know once you're done speaking with—"

"Not interested." Jayne waved her off as he made his way down the hall.

He had never been in this part of the hospital before, and now he knew why. It smelled like antiseptic and old people. He felt rude just thinking it, but what the hell it's not like anyone could hear his thoughts. He wondered if Mattie was curious as to where he had disappeared to. He figured that River would be there soon for her daily pudding visit, so he wouldn't be missed much.

Peeking in Jayne saw that Simon's office was neat and tidy. Like the Doc spent most of his time cleaning and making sure everything was in its correct place. Simon was sitting in the chair leaning over several files running his hands through his hair. He looked frazzled and Jayne almost felt bad interrupting whatever work he was doing. Almost being the key word.

"'Scuse me, Doc, but I gotta question fer ya." He said walking into the room.

"Oh!" Simon jumped slightly startled by Jayne's intrusive entrance. "Hello Jayne. Is there something I can help you with?"

"As a matter a fact there is." He said tossing Mattie's file on the desk, and scattering the other files all over the floor. Simon almost yelled before he realized just what Jayne had thrown at him.

"This is Mattie's file!" He was flabbergasted. "How did you get this?"

"That don't matter. I need ya ta help her. Her doctor said he's one all he can, and that she don't got long. I was hopin' you'd be able to tell me something different." Simon was outraged, and about to tell him to get the hell out, but then he noticed the pleading, hopeful look in his eyes. He thought about all ways that Jayne and Mattie had helped River.

"Jayne…" He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am not an Oncologist. I wouldn't even know how to handle her case. Who's her Doctor?"

"Doctor Thatcher."

"He's an excellent doctor. He's one of the best oncologist's in the state." Simon said trying his best to sort through all the documents. "Pleuropulmonary Blastoma is a very serious diagnosis."

"Yeah I know that Doc. Do ya got anything else to add?" Jayne rolled his eyes.

"It's gonna take me some time to sort through all of this information." He said pulling more papers out to examine them carefully. "Could you do me a favor while I start in on this? Would you collect River for me, and bring her back here. She had a meeting with her therapist tosay, a Dr. Atherton Wing, and it should be ending in just a few minutes. I'd sure be grateful. Oh, he's upstairs in room 305." Simon motioned towards the door. Jayne stood there for a moment before Simon looked up again and smiled.

"Look, I'll do my best, but I make no promises Jayne."

"'Sall I can ask Doc." Jayne nodded walking out of the office, and made his way towards the elevators.

The hospital was not a very large one. Then again neither was the town. No need to have a big hospital with a town of just four hundred. The third floor was the Psych Ward, and the fourth floor was HR and offices that doctors from out of town could rent. Which meant the bottom two floors housed all the medical areas. He stood in the elevator trying his best not to break down. It had been a long week and a half for him, and frankly he was exhausted. He quickly found the room, and noticed that the door was slightly open. He could hear a man talking to someone.

"I just can't understand why you refuse to open yourself up, and speak to me." He heard the man say to who he assumed was River.

_What the hell makes you so special buddy?_ Jayne thought as he rolled his eyes. _If she won't speak to her brother, or Mattie, or even me… especially me. Why would she want to speak to you?_

"You are a talented, and an extremely smart human being with so much potential. A woman who could have so much more in life if you would just let me be the one to help you. Do you know how beautiful you are, River?"

_What kind of fuckin' therapy is this? That sounded like a line you'd hear in some seedy bar on 1__st__ Avenue! _He looked through the crack in the door trying to see what was happening. What he saw made his stomach drop, and his blood run cold. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. River was sitting stiffly, upright, on the shrinks couch, and _ Doctor _Wing was kneeling in front of her. One of his hands was on the arm of the couch, blocking any type of escape she might try, while his other hand was slowly moving from her knee up her thigh. Bringing the hem of her dress along for the ride. A single tear fell from her eye, and once he saw that Jayne couldn't stop himself as he stormed into the room; slamming the door into the wall as he did.

"WHAT THE RUTTIN' HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" he bellowed. River rose up off the couch immediately, and Dr. Wing grabbed onto her arm.

"Therapy." He answered calmly. "You can not just barge in here when I'm in the midst of a session with a patient."

"Her brother sent me to get her since the time was up." He said flatly. "C'mon River let's go." He said holding his hand out to her. Slipping her arm free from Dr. Wing's grasp, River grabbed a hold of Jayne's hand tightly, and turned to exit the office.

"I'll see you again next week, River." He called out to her. "You've been making excellent progress here with _my_ help." The last statement made Jayne snap. Letting go of her hand he quickly turned around and stalked back through the office door towards the so called _doctor_. Backing him into the wall Jayne stood there heavily; his eyes never leaving Wing's.

"_Excellent progress_ you say? With your _help_? If you _EVER_put your hands on her again I'll rip them off starting with your fingers." Without saying another word he stormed out of the room. Reaching out for River as he left he put an arm around her shoulders protectively as they walked towards the elevators.

They made the short ride to the second floor where Simon's office and Mattie's room were located in silence. When the elevator doors opened River stepped out making her way to Simon's office. Before she could take another step Jayne grasped her shoulder turning to face him. They stood in silence neither moving nor looking away; just breathing in the same air. Jayne didn't know what to do. He had so many thoughts tumbling around in his head he couldn't even think straight. The moment seemed to last forever before River let out a loud breath and turned to walk away. Jayne, still upset from what he had seen, grabbed her by the arm to stop her. River signed _No _to him and pulled her arm away.

"What do ya mean _NO?_" He asked sarcastically.

She signed it again.

"Would ya stop doing that." He pushed her hands down. "Pixie, if'n that creep disguised as a doctor is bothering ya, ya need ta tell yer brother."

He watched as a look of panic crossed her face and she began to sign frantically at him. He thought she would be more upset then this. Maybe he'd misread the signals and she actually liked the guy. He wasn't bad looking, and, hell, he was a doctor. _Doctor's better than a mechanic any day _he thought. Right then he noticed the tears streaking down her face. Her signing seemed so sloppy even he could tell. Jayne knew that something was definitely wrong.

"River, just tell yer brother and get that scuzz, who's pretendin' to be a therapist, fired." He said quietly as he place one steadying hand on her arm, and the other wiped away tears, trying to calm her down. His statement just seemed to upset her more as she signed _no_ to him again, and ran to her brother's office. Jayne was torn as he watched her race down the hall. He could make sure Simon knew about what happened between River and Dr. Wing, or he could go be with Mattie. He struggled for a moment before coming to the conclusion that River was probably already telling him what had happened, and she would be embarrassed if he stuck his nose in anymore then it already was.

Heading into Mattie's room Jayne found that she was awake. It must be a good day too because she wasn't on her oxygen machine today. Smiling at him as he sat in the chair by her bed she got a better look at his face. She could tell that something, or someone, was being bothersome to her older brother. He didn't just look mad, which seemed to always be his permanent expression, but he looked concerned, and uneasy, which he would rarely show unless it happened to involve family. _Since I'm the only family he's got it h__as to be about River _she thought.

"Well, good day to you my oh so happy big brother." She said motioning for him to scoot the chair he'd just sat in closer to the bed. "Something's bothering you." She started matter of factly, as he came to her.

"How's it that you can do that?" He smirked. "Remind me a Ma when ya do that?"

"Oh yeah? You remind me a Pa, and just like him you're not exactly hard to read… So tell me what's going on? Did River vomit on you when you went to kiss her?" She laughed smiling at her own joke.

"I didn't try to kiss River, Mattie. On my way to you I ran into Simon. He was real busy so he asked me to fetch River for him. She was just getting out of her therapy session with-"

"Dr. Wing, and you saw him make a pass at her." She said flatly interrupting him mid story.

"She said somethin' to you about it?" He asked just a bit upset that River didn't talk to him about it. He seemed to always forget that he's really only known her such a short time. To him it felt like much more.

"Of course River told me, Jayne. I'm her friend so she tells me everything, and in return I tell her everything." She smiled at him. "For someone who doesn't talk at all she's sure got a lot to say."

"Why hasn't he been fired? Why hasn't Simon done anything about this?" Jayne questioned, his voice slightly raised, getting back to the topic that started this conversation.

"River hasn't told her brother, and she hopes she won't have to. She's hoping that Dr. Atherton Wing will realize she would never willingly marry him."

"Wadda mean? Why would River marry him?"

"She wouldn't, but he wants her to. Actually what he really wants is to get his hands on her trust fund." Mattie frowned.

"What trust fund?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Honestly Jayne, don't you know who you've been _socializing_ with for the past few weeks?" Mattie shook her head in disappointment.

"Not a clue." He shrugged.

"Their last name doesn't ring a bell? Tam?"

"It sounded familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it."

"Oh for the love of all things holy, Jayne! Simon and River's father, Gabriel, is the CEO of Tam Airlines! At least he was before he and his wife, Regan, were killed in a car crash about three years ago." She paused waiting for him to connect the dots. Rolling her eyes again, Mattie realized that her big brother just wasn't going to get it. "She's worth millions Jayne, and as soon as she turns eighteen she'll get it all."

"And this Atherton wants it." He watched his sister's head nod confirming his suspicions and he felt his stomach drop once more.

"So why doesn't she just tell Simon, lil' Sis? She's gotta get away from that guy!"

"She's scared to… " Letting out a sigh, Mattie came to the conclusion that she needed to tell Jayne everything about River that she knew. It wasn't a whole lot to begin with, but she didn't have much time left, and when she was gone River was going to need someone to take care of her. "I'm going to tell you everything, Jayne. From the tiniest, insignificant detail that River thought I would find interesting, to the things that everyone, and their aunt should know about. But, please, promise me that what I tell you won't become fodder for your next drinking game at the bar. Please?" Mattie knew that Jayne was never very good at keeping secrets; especially where pretty girls were concerned, but she refused to continue until she got a nod of his head, and his full undivided attention. "River is a genius. Not a _oh my gosh you're a genius_, but an actual certified genius. When she was fourteen her parents decided to send her to a special academy to keep her out of mischief, and to keep her safe out of harms way. Simon was away at MedAcad, and the Academy seemed great; perfect even. She made friends for the first time who were just brilliant as she was, and, for the first time in her life, she felt like she finally belonged somewhere. She told me that her therapist, Dr. Wing. Was a professor at her school teaching the students about Anatomy and Human Genetics. She said that in her second year there she started taking his Human Genetics Class. On the first day that she began taking class he started flirting with her immediately." Mattie paused for a moment wondering if she should continue with what she had started. She could see that was becoming quite angry. He was stiffly sitting in the chair, breathing heavily, and his knuckled were turning white from his hands grasping the arm rests tightly, but before she could continue Jayne spoke up.

"He was hittin' on a fourteen year old girl?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Well she'd been there for a year before he met her, so she was fifteen, but she was still very young." Mattie watched Jayne very carefully after answering this last question. He was quietly enraged, and he was doing a marvelous job keeping it in control. She hadn't seen him this upset in a long time. "Riv told me that it wasn't a secret at the Academy that he was sleeping with his students. One of them was her best friend, Sunny. River believed that Atherton's choice of her was a not a coincidence. An unspoken clue to her from him because Sunny's first name was Sungai. The Malay word meaning river. After that he became more forward, and more aggressive with his advances toward her. She finally told the headmaster of the school. He called Sunny into his office one day, but she denied everything making River look like a liar. She ended up calling her parents. Luckily, they believed her, and came to pick her up a few days later."

"She was in the car when they crashed." It wasn't a question, just a statement.

"River told me the brakes didn't work. They were heading round a turn and her father lost control of the vehicle. She hasn't spoken since that day." Mattie ended smiling sadly at him. River had been through so much in her short life.

"I don't see why… It's not like it was her fault." Jayne shrugged. This story wasn't making any damn sense. Why the hell would a guy stalk and terrorize a girl if she could just turn around and tell somebody.

"She felt like it was her fault. Apparently Dr. Wing did and said something to her just before they left the Academy. River'd gone back to her dorm room while her parents were speaking to the headmaster. She wanted to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything in her room. While she was looking under the bed she heard the door open and close. She looked up and saw Atherton by the door. She didn't know what to do. He was the last person that she wanted to see, and he was blocking her only way out. All he did was stare at her. After a few minutes of his intimidation she decided to just get the hell out of there. Before she could yell, scream or do anything that could attract attention he clasped his hand over her mouth. He bent his head and started to inhale from the base of her neck to her hair by her ear. Then he licked her ear Jayne! He licked it! She said she felt like throwing up her last meal. And then he whisper to her _If I can't have you, no one will._" Mattie felt a shiver run up her spine as she said it. "After that he let River go, She ran out of the dorm to the headmaster's office."

"Do you think he tried to kill her?" Jayne was bewildered by the whole thing. This was something out of cop show. It was just too insane to be real.

"I don't know. River definitely does, and she hasn't spoken since. She thinks if she tells Simon then she'll be putting him at risk. She thinks it's better just to remain silent."

"Okay, but why tell you?" Jayne asked.

"Again, I don't know, big brother. For some reason she feels she can trust me, and I'm glad she does. If River doesn't have some kind of an outlet she is going to crack."

They both jumped at the sound of someone rapping lightly on the door frame. They turned to see Simon standing there with Mattie's files in his hands. Jayne looked up at the clock. He was shocked to see that an hour had already passed. He didn't even realize how long they had been discussing things. He watched as River slowly popped her head around Simon. She eyed him for a moment before smiling at him and ducking into the room to sit next to a smiling Mattie. Simon watched the two girls carefully before motioning for Jayne to join him out in the hall. Nodding Jayne stood up and slowly followed him out of the room.

"Find anything new, Doc?" Jayne asked looking at Simon with tired, pleading eyes.

""I'm so sorry, Jayne. I don't see anything that would change the diagnosis that Dr. Thatcher originally gave her." Jayne's stomach dropped for the second time that day. He looked in at Mattie and River through the small window next to her door. They were both laughing as if neither one had a care in the world. He felt a slight heaviness on his shoulder and he turned his head to see Simon's hand resting there. He quickly shrugged it off glaring at him. "For what it's worth Jayne, Mattie is a wonderful young woman." Simon sighed. Jayne knew why Simon was so upset. Mattie had somehow opened his sister up and became her only friend. He was afraid how River would react to her only friend's death.

"Ain't tellin' me nuthin' I don't know, Doc."

"I am truly sorry." It was quiet for a moment, and then he heard Simon's footsteps as he walked slowly down the hall.

It was three days later when Mattie started getting worse. Jayne was taken aback by how abrupt it all was. She complained that her chest was hurting, and suddenly she couldn't breath. She looked so weak, and frail, laying in that big hospital bed with an oxygen mask covering her small face. She slept most of the time now, and the pain meds were a blessing. River had shown up for breakfast the next morning but quickly took in the situation. She smiled at him lightly before setting a pudding cup next to Mattie's bedside table, and squeezed her hand. Jayne was drained both emotionally and physically. So it wasn't a surprise when he started to doze off in the chair that was always next to Mattie' bed. It wasn't long before he felt someone nudge his shoulder, and weakly call out his name.

"Jayne… wake…up." He heard Mattie struggling to breath between each word. When he opened his eyes he saw that Mattie had taken her mask off leaving it resting lightly on her chest.

"Mattie Cobb! Are you insane? Ya gotta keep yer mask on!" he leaned forward fumbling to put her mask back on. She wouldn't have it, and for someone who was dying, she was surprisingly strong.

"You need…to…listen!" She grabbed the mask placing it over her mouth and nose; taking in big gulps of air. Jayne didn't say anything. He just nodded for her to continue with what she needed to tell him. "I…want you…to…come…visit Riv." She wheezed through every word and as each one was uttered Jayne's heart broke a little bit more. "She…needs…someone…she…can trust…I…want…no need…you...to…protect…her…" He nodded. He couldn't form words even if he tried. "Promise…me." When he didn't say anything she grew upset. "JAYNE…PROMISE…ME!"

"I promise, Mattie-girl." He said while choking on his tears. With all the strength Mattie had left she used it in that instant to give him a smile and look of loving gratitude.

Within moments her breathing became erratic and nurses came rushing in and pushed him out of the room. He didn't know how long he waited. It felt like hours, but it was probably just a few minutes. One of them finally walked out with a solemn look on her face and Jayne's heart stopped.

"Mr. Cobb?" She asked looking at him. Jayne nodded. "We had to intibate her. She can no longer breath on her own. She couldn't get enough oxygen to her brain, and she's in a coma now."

"Is she gonna wake up?" He whispered.

"We don't know, and if she does we don't know what condition she'll be in." Jayne only slightly registered what the nurse had told him. Looking in the room he saw his baby sister laying there unconscious with a tube sticking out of her mouth. The quiet beep of the machines were the only sound he could hear, and the room was cold. It no longer contained any of the light and warmth it usually did. Jayne knew that Mattie was gone. He knew the nurse was still standing there; waiting patiently for a response.

"Turn 'em off." He said through his teeth.

"I'm sorry?"

"Turn the gorram machines off. Mattie wouldn't want to live like this." He felt tears streaking down his cheeks. He felt like they were burning him.

"Alright, Mr. Cobb." The nurse nodded. "Just let me go get the doctor and the paperwork."

She left he side quickly and Jayne was left alone with the shell that was once his beloved baby sister, and the last of his family.

"I'm so sorry Mattie." He cried. He shut his mouth quickly when he heard footsteps coming toward the room. Dr. Thatcher nodded to him as the nurse had him sign the paper work allowing them to turn off life support.

"Are you ready Mr. Cobb? Would you like us to leave so you can have some time to say anything to her before we turn them off?"

"No point, Dr. Thatcher." He shrugged. "She ain't here no more. That's just a shell." He took a ragged breath before he stormed out plopping down in a seat in front of the room. The nurse left first followed by the doctor who stopped and told him that he was free to contact the funeral home. He just nodded and hung his head in his hands. He looked up as they wheeled Mattie out of the room and down to the morgue.

No one bothered him as he sat there in a dazed silence. He didn't even realize that River was standing in front of him until she nudged his shoulder. She looked at him and then into the room before raising a questioning eyebrow at him.

"She ain't here no more, River." He said flatly.

She shook her head. She didn't understand.

"She died." He choked on his own words.

River stood there unable to move, and unable to breath. She knew it was going to happen. Mattie had warned her, but it didn't matter. She reached out her hand trying to give Jayne the pudding that had been meant for Mattie. She saw his face grow red and contort into something terrible.

"I don't want no ruttin' puddin'." He said as he smacked it out of her hand causing it to explode on the floor as it fell. She stood there for a moment before sitting down next to him, and placing her hand in his. He squeezed it lightly, but remained quiet.

"I'm sorry, Pixie." He sighed finally breaking the silence.

She shrugged.

"Look, we, uh, made some plans. I'll…I'll tell your brother when Mattie's funeral gonna be. She would'a wanted you there. I need ya there, too…a friend. See ya then I guess." He said quickly storming away from River not knowing that he was leaving her there feeling alone, and stripped bare.

**Let me know what you think. Your reviews keep me writing so the more reviews the faster I update... just sayin'. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry this took me so long, but I just started a job and so I don't have a whole lot of time left to write. I want to thank everyone who had reviewed and started following this story. I really appreciate it. I also want to thank my super awesome beta Irishbrneyes who had pushed me to keep going. **

Jayne sat silently in the front row of the seats that the funeral director had set up. There weren't many people here, but, then again, because of her many illnesses Mattie didn't have a lot of time for making friends. There were a few guys from work and several of the nurses that cared for her, but otherwise the room remained pretty empty, and that just wasn't right. Mattie was a beautiful, vibrant, caring girl, and Jayne felt there should have been friends here; enough so's there would be standing room only, but he also believed she should still be alive. He paused in his quiet ruminating when he felt a warm summer breeze waft in. He turned to look at the entryway and saw River standing there looking like a queen, wearing a long white sheath dress with a black sweater coat. That struck him as odd due to the fact that it had to be close to a hundred degrees outside. When River found where he was located in the chapel she gave Jayne the sweetest smile he had ever received, and started to slowly make her way towards him. Right before she got to his seat she pulled a pudding out of her pocket and placed it next to Mattie. River stood there for a silent minute before waving a farewell to her friend. Turning around she then moved to where he was seated.

"Why a puddin' pack?" he asked quietly standing up to greet her. He wasn't sure why he thought she would verbally reply; she never had before. She smiled slightly and began to sign to him. Before he could tell her he had no clue what she was trying to tell him he heard a familiar voice translating.

"She's sayin' it meant somethin' to the both of them." Jayne turned slowly to see Kaylee smiling at him. Standing next to her was a nervous looking Simon, and he was holding her hand.

"Hey Kaylee. Thanks a lot for comin'," He smiled tightly hugging her with one arm.

"Of course I'd be here for ya." She said patting him on the back. When she finally let go of him he nodded to Simon.

"Doc."

"I'm so sorry for your loss Jayne." Simon said shaking his hand. "Excuse me but I have to keep an eye on my sister." He said softly and then made his way towards River who was looking over the family pictures that Jayne had set up in the back prior to the funeral.

"So you and the doc huh?" Jayne smirked. "I didn't know."

"You never asked 'bout my personal life." She teased lightly. "Neither of us knew until we told each other about the funeral." He nodded to show his understanding. He then turned his attention back to River as she sat down gracefully in one of the two couches that adorned the sides of the room. "How are ya holdin' up?" Kaylee asked pulling Jayne's attention away from River.

"I'm doin' alright, Kay. Truth be told I'm more concerned about her." He said tilting his head in River's direction.

"River? She's okay. She told Simon that she's worried about you." She paused. "Simon said you two have gotten close?" Kaylee smiled to herself. She knew Jayne never warmed easily to people; neither did River. It had to mean something when the two most standoffish people she knew connected with one another. She noticed Jayne giving her a confused look. "She signs to ya." She explained to him with a smile.

"Only causa Mattie." He shrugged.

"I really doubt it." Kaylee said flatly.

"And why's that?"

"She don't even talk to me…" Kaylee frowned.

"Oh…"

"Yea, she never has. She likes me 'nough I guess, but for some reason she don't trust me." Kaylee paused in thought. "Takes a lot for River to trust someone. What ever ya did, whatever yer doin' please keep doin' it cause it's sure helpin' her."

"Don't think I can be what Mattie was for her." He frowned. He didn't want to admit that that little fact bothered him. She and River had been close friends, and Jayne couldn't make the same commitment that he did to Mattie.

"No one's sayin' ya have to be." Kaylee smiled "River trusted Mattie cause of who she was. Cause she never hid anything from River. She always said what she was thinkin'. The same goes for you. She doesn't trust ya cause yer Mattie's brother or even cause Mattie said ya were okay. She trusts ya cause yer hard-headed, stubborn, honest, and kind. Just cause yer you.

"I don't think those first two traits were compliments." He smirked knowing Kaylee was right.

"Well apparently River doesn't mind." Kaylee shrugged "Plus I pretty much just described River so…two peas in a pod. Ya know?"

Their conversation stopped when the funeral director walked up and told them it was time for the Committal Service to commence. Jayne felt his chest tighten. His beautiful baby sister was going to be put into a hole in the cold, hard earth. He didn't want to put her there, but it was where she asked to be.

_Put me next to Ma. _She had said, and Jayne couldn't tell her no. Then again he never ever could.

It was unbearably hot outside. Jayne was grateful the director had had the attendants put a tent up to at least give them some shade. He looked around the cemetery slowly thankful that Mattie was being buried at their small family church. Not that he attended much since their Ma had passed. He was reminded of the stifling heat when a breezeless wind came rolling past him. He casually looked for River. _She must have taken that gorram sweater off by now _he thought, but, nope, she still had it on. He continued watching her. Only observing her for any sign that she was about to crack, but she remained silently stone faced like a statue. Only when their family Reverend began the final rites did he turn away from River, and stare down at the grave.

The Reverends eulogy just washed over him, and he became angry. This man hadn't seen Mattie in years. He hadn't even visited her in the hospital, and yet he was speaking about her as if they were best friends. Jayne was about to stop the whole thing when he suddenly felt a warm sensation in his hand. He glanced to his right and there was River standing next to him; her hand holding on to his own gently. She didn't sign to him; she didn't even look at him. She simply stood there holding onto him like he was her lifeline right then. He just wasn't sure who was in need of saving more. He decided it didn't matter as he squeezed her hand gently in appreciation, and turned his attention back to the ground.

Jayne didn't know how long they'd been standing there at Mattie's grave. It must have been at least an hour since she had been buried, but River never once moved from his side. Simon finally walked up quietly clearing his throat. River let out a soft sigh, and turned to face her brother.

"Sorry, but, River, we have to get you back to the hospital soon. It's almost time for your group session with Ms. Serra." She simply nodded to him. "Well then…ah…Kaylee and I will be waiting in the car for you." Before leaving he turned his attention to Jayne. "Goodbye Jayne. Thank you for giving River this chance to say goodbye. She need this." That said he lifted his hand up to shake his hand. Jayne hesitated briefly, then shook his proffered hand steadily.

"No problem, Doc. I know Mattie wanted her to be here." He paused in his talking, and moved he and Simon a small distance away from River. "I hope you don't mind, but I promised Mattie that I would visit River at the hospital, and I intend on keeping that promise."

"No, not at all. You can visit her anytime you wish. I'll make sure that the medical staff is aware of this arrangement, too." Simon said with more enthusiasm than was called for. Jayne simply nodded his understanding, and noticed that Kaylee had wandered back their way. She smiled at him sweetly before she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. As he pulled back he couldn't help but smile in return.

"Jayne, we'll always be here if'n ya need to talk, or anythin'. Alright?" Her eyes darted over to River and then back.

"Thanks Kay. I 'preciate it."

"C'mon Kaylee." Simon said sensing that River wanted a minute alone with Jayne before she would leave.

"See ya at work then." Kaylee called back over her shoulder. He threw up a hand, but said nothing in reply.

Jayne remained silent as River stood there just staring at him. Honestly it was really starting to annoy the hell out of him. What did she want? Why him? What made him so gorram special? He watched her for a moment longer. Finally, after a few minutes of this she signed something to him. She brought her open hand up towards her chin and then back out towards him. What was that? Mattie had told him once. THANK YOU! She was saying thank you to him.

"Yer welcome." He nodded "Mattie would have wanted ya ta be here, Pixie. Thanks for being here…with me." He paused for another brief moment. "So I guess I'll see ya tomorrow for lunch." He watched the smile slowly spread across her face. _Lord almighty she sure looks pretty __when she smiles_ he thought. Before he could say anything more River hopped up onto her toes, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Smiling at him one last time she quickly darted off after her brother. He grinned to himself while raising a hand to his cheek and placing it where her lips had just been. He turned to look at the temporary grave marker that showed where Mattie now was. He kneeled down slowly, and placed his hand over her name.

"I'll keep my promise, baby sister. Don't ya worry none. I'll make sure River stays safe."

Jayne stood outside the hospital entrance wondering whether he could go back in there. He smiled realizing he wouldn't need to as he watched River strolling through the doorway. She smiled serenely at him as she grabbed a hold of his hand and started dragging him for a walk around the grounds. It was nice for Jayne to have to talk to someone; to just be there and enjoy their company. He was really enjoying the walk when River froze midstride. He took in her features, and noted how scared she appeared. Following the direction of her gaze he saw Dr. Atherton Wing approaching them. He squeezed her hand lightly to let her know everything would be alright.

"River, my dear, your brother has been extremely busy, so he asked me to look for you, and to bring you back. You know perfectly well that you are not to be out on the hospital grounds." He smiled through the course of his talking, but Jayne noticed that it didn't meet his eyes. River remained still, but backed into Jayne's chest. Silence reigned between them for an immeasurable amount of time before Atherton spoke once again. "Come River. Let's get you back inside." He said reaching for River's arm. Jayne's hand shot out grabbing onto Atherton's wrist while he moved her behind him.

"Try that again Doc, and you'll be pullin' back a stump." Jayne's eyes remained fixed on Wing's face.

"She is not permitted to be out unaccompanied." Atherton was livid. _How dare this…this uncouth ruffian put his hands on me._

"As ya can see she ain't un'companied…I'm here." Jayne smirked taking immense pleasure in the fact the he was able to crawl under this _man's _skin. "Tell Dr. Tam she's with me."

"I certainly will not!" He said and then turned his attention back to River who had ducked back behind Jayne again with her face buried in his shirt. "Now River if you'll come with me we'll return you to your brother" He tried once again to reach for her. This time rather than grabbing his wrist Jayne shoved him backwards causing him to fall on his ass.

"That there was a warnin'. Nest time won't be so gentle."

As he got back up Atherton dusted off his clothes. "She needs to come back with me, _sir!_" Jayne was growing more upset as Atherton continued to push his agenda.

"It looks clear ta me that she don't want ta go anywhere with you. Now if her brother is so concerned on her where about's he can come out here an' get her on his own." Jayne waited while Atherton seemed to mull it over for a moment shifting from one foot to the other.

"Very well then. Have it your way." He said through his teeth. "I'll be seeing you next week River. I look forward to it." He leered leaning towards her. River popped her head around Jayne, reared her head back and spit in Atherton's face. Jayne started laughing hysterically as Atherton's face grew red.

"You little bi—" He started to yell, but Jayne cut him off with a fiercely calm voice.

"Careful there, Doc. Ya got witnesses here." Jayne smirked as he raised an eyebrow at Atherton who'd just noticed all the people who had stopped to watch the scene. Finally, having given up, Wing stormed off with a huff back into the hospital. Jayne watched until he went around the corner then turned his attention back to River. She was smiling from ear to ear.

"Think ya jus' made things worse, pixie." He frowned. She thought for a moment then shook her head signaling that she didn't agree with his assessment of the situation.

"You always gotta disagree?" he asked flatly. She smiled mischievously shaking her head again. He smiled back giving a slight chuckle. "Well, what's say we continue our walk?" She thought for a moment and then nodded enthusiastically in reply before grabbing his hand.

Jayne had begun to enjoy his weekly visits with River. If fact, he looked forward to them. He even started to show up on Thursdays. That was River's scheduled day to meet with Dr. Wing. He really didn't trust that guy. Even if the story he'd gotten from Mattie wasn't true, Atherton was still hitting on a mentally disturbed, and vulnerable young woman. River, he'd noticed, was much happier on the days he was able to annoy Dr. Wing. Today's escapade had been especially funny. Jayne and River were in the cafeteria having lunch together, and being silent as always. All of a sudden Atherton walked up and sat right next to him. Jayne wouldn't have noticed, but River motioned in his direction with her head. He turned and scowled. _That son of a bitch! _He was trying to listen to the conversation they were _'having'._ Jayne let it slide for a few minutes before deciding to speak up.

"Ya know eavesdropping is considered rude, no matter who's doing it." Jayne said a bit louder than was necessary. River started giggling immediately. At this declaration Atherton pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"I'm trying to understand what's going on between you and my patient." He growled.

"By listenin' to me talk?" Jayne scoffed at Dr. Wing's reasoning. "What cha gonna learn about _her_ from _my_ stories, huh?"

"You are such an imbecile, and couldn't possibly comprehend my reasoning's for doing what I'm doing. I happen to be listening to your conversation! How you converse with one another!" Jayne smiled at the fact that he was once again getting under the _'good'_ doctor's skin.

" 'Cept for the fact that Riv here don't talk." Jayne rolled his eyes. Atherton stared at him with his mouth hanging open. "For all that fancy schoolin' woulda thought you'd have enough smarts to remember that kinda stuff about yer patients." Atherton sat there dumbfounded and remained staring at Jayne who was smiling back at him in complete satisfaction, while River was doubled over, her forehead on the table, laughing hysterically.

"This is all just ridiculous!" He shouted. He got up to leave, but turned to Jayne leaned into his personal space. "You have absolutely no idea who you're dealing with!" He hissed, and then stormed out of the cafeteria. Shrugging it off he glanced over at River who finally stopped laughing, and looked over at Jayne smiling brightly. She stood up and signed 'Thank you'.

"No problem pixie." He grinned. "Where ya headed?" She reached for his hand and grabbed it warily. It hadn't gone unnoticed by Jayne that she avoided all contact with anyone, but himself. Simon was graced with the occasional hug, but that was it. It was warm outside and Jayne noticed once again that River was wearing one of her trademark long sleeved sweaters. He thought about asking her why, but decided it was best not to.

"River!" They both turned to face Simon who was approaching them rather quickly. Jayne let go of River's hand as fast as he could. He didn't feel like explaining anything at the moment. "You, young lady, are late for your appointment with Dr. Wing,_ again!_"

Jayne watched as River signed frantically to her brother. She was matching his anger. Frankly, River being upset was something Jayne never wanted to see. Not that he was worried about making her cry, or anything, but something in the back of his head told Jayne that she could probably hand him his ass. So he thought it was best to keep her happy.

"What do you mean you're not going?" Simon was astonished at this new development. He had never seen his sister behave this way. She began to sign again, even more upset than before. "River I was not asking you to go to your appointment I am telling you. Get to Dr. Wing's office, RIGHT NOW!" River was taken aback. Simon had never yelled at her before. She frowned at him, waved goodbye to Jayne, and made her way back into the hospital. Simon sighed heavily and turned to face Jayne.

"I'm so very sorry you had to witness that, Jayne. She's usually so calm… I don't know what's gotten into her lately."

"Didja ever think it has something to do with the fact she hates that stuck up asshole therapist you have her goin' to see?" Jayne rolled his eyes at the obviousness.

"You don't trust Doctor Wing?" Simon was confused. Atherton didn't seem all that bad.

" 'Bout as far as I can throw him." He sighed. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that a teacher would leave the school he works at just to become a therapist for one student?"

"I think you've been spending a little too much time with River." Simon chuckled.

"I'm just sayin' someone like that was hangin' around my sister, I would have been uncomfortable." He shrugged. "Why'd ya pick him anyways?"

"Oh… Well, when I started searching for a therapist for River, Atherton offered his services immediately. No questions asked. I thought it was best to have River deal with someone she already knew." Simon was getting annoyed with this conversation. Obviously Jayne had been sucked in by her mad beginnings. It's not that he didn't like Jayne, he did, and he would always be grateful for what he had done to help get River out of her shell, but he felt that Jayne was overstepping his boundaries with this.

"Did River ever tell you about her theory of the car accident?" Jayne was doing everything he could to help her, but Simon just wasn't getting it. He had thought about telling Simon about what he had seen in Wing's office, but he knew he had no proof besides what he saw, and knowing River, she would just deny it anyway.

"Of course she did and I checked into it, but I never believed her." Simon sighed.

"Why not? She's obviously bothered by him!" How could he not see what a sleaze ball this _doctor_ was?

"What do you know about River's diagnosis?" Simon couldn't blame Jayne. River was very good at convincing people of her stories; she always had been.

"Nuthin'… didn't know she had a diagnosis."

"She's a paranoid schizophrenic. She's delusional Jayne. Her delusions started back at school, and have continued to this day." Simon frowned, and started to make his way out of the cafeteria.

"What about the car? Your parent's brakes were cut?" Jayne wasn't sure of anything anymore, and he felt like he was reaching with these questions.

"My father was a notorious drunk. His blood alcohol content was .19. Over twice the legal limit." Simon paused. It was hard to think just how much his baby sister had changed from that sweet fourteen year old that went away to school. "The brakes were fine." With that he turned and walked towards his office. Jayne stood there in shocked silence. Unsure of what to do, or think. Something wasn't right, and he was gonna get to the bottom of it.

**Pleas read and review. Let me know what you think. The more you review the faster I'll up date.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I know it's been forever since I've updated! I just wanted to thank everyone for following or reviewing this story. It really means a lot that you like it. I also want to thank my awesome Beta Irishbrneyes who did another amazing job on this chapter. I do not own anything and no profit was made. **

There were two things that struck Jayne as odd as he walked into the hospital that afternoon. One was that River wasn't there to greet him with her usual smiling face. Second was that Simon was there, in her place, not looking in the least bit happy. Jayne slowed slightly as he walked in the entrance. Looking at Simon he cam to a standstill as he felt his stomach growing tight at the silence that met him. Come to think of it, Simon didn't look much better than he did. He looked discouraged, tired, and, if Jayne were truly honest, defeated.

"Where's Riv at?" Jayne asked breaking the silence first.

"Why don't you some with me and we'll discuss this in my office?" Simon said. His usual stern tone was replaced with one that was overwhelmed.

The walk to his office was silent, and it didn't do anything to help Jayne's stomach settle. Simon opened the door and plopped down in his seat giving an exasperated sigh as he did. Jayne looked around the room for moment. He took notice of the fact that the room was cleaner then before with only a few stray files on his desk. He turned his attention to the three pictures on Simon's cabinet. One was of Kaylee and the Doc on their wedding day, the other was obviously Mr. and Mrs. Tam, and the last one was of River. She was probably about 14 when it was taken, and she was smiling and happy. It was most likely taken before she went to the Academy.

"River had a tough day." Simon began abruptly ending Jayne's concentration on River's photo.

"What do ya mean she had a tough day?"

"Dr. Wing changed his scheduled sessions with her to Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays." Simon said. "River apparently took issue with what he did and slashed Atherton in the face with a knife."

"How in the hell did she get a knife?" Jayne asked looking at the Doctor like he was a complete idiot.

"We don't know. I mean, obviously, it's from the kitchen, but we don't know when, or even how, she obtained it. She hasn't had a bad day in such a long time." Simon gave another exasperated sigh while glancing to her picture.

"So yer sayin' that she's attacked people before?"

"Of course not!" Simon exclaimed. "If she had she wouldn't be allowed to leave the ward."

"So what exactly are you callin' her _bad _days here Doc?" Jayne raised an eyebrow at Simon. He just wasn't seeing what Jayne and River saw.

"Well she use to be inconsolable. Spending her days in her room up in the ward crying, or silent with no expression what so ever. Just…Blank." Simon shuddered as he recalled those _days._ "That was the worst…thinking I had lost her. Thinking she had just gone, and left a shell."

"Sounds to me like your _Doctor_ Wing is the problem here." Jayne growled out.

"Please, Jayne, not again." Simon replied while rolling his eyes at him. "I've already told you! My father was drunk. He crashed the car. Atherton did not kill my parents."

"That may be true, but River sure thinks he did." Jayne pauses for just a moment letting that sink in. "Now I ain't no doctor myself, but I don't think it's such a great idea to have the man, who she believes killed her parents, treating her."

"I…I never…" Simon thought over his words carefully.

"I swear Doc." Jayne said as he crossed the room towards the door. "Sometimes I think you are the dumbest summabitch I've ever met." He glanced over at River's picture one more time. "Now I'm gonna go see Riv before I have to head back to work."

"I don't think that's a good idea." Simon called out.

"I don't think Riv'll hurt me doc." Jayne sighed pinching the bridge of his nose.

"No that's not it." Simon said looking around nervously. "River couldn't be calmed down, so we had to drug her. She's been sleeping for almost two days."

"And when you say we…" Jayne said through his teeth.

"I mean Atherton." Simon nodded. "He said it was for the best."

"Course he did Doc." Jayne said walking away. "Course he did." Jayne was seething on his walk to the ward. How could Simon let his little sister be drugged like that? How could he not see what she was trying to show him?

The ward looked different than what he thought it would. In the movies it's always portrayed as a dismal place full of gray paint and drugged up patients. This place, however, was painted with several different shades of blue stripes that gave the room a calm feeling while not bringing down the atmosphere. The windows were large, and while they obviously didn't open, they still brought a bright, but warm, happiness to the room. Jayne looked around the room. One man with red hair seemed to be joking around with an attractive dark-skinned woman who was holding a happy burbling baby. Another man with dark brown hair was arguing with a female doctor. She seemed to be on her last nerve as she pinched the bridge of her nose causing a strand of black curly hair to fall in her face as she did so. He couldn't really hear their conversation, but it sounded like she just kept repeating that he couldn't just barge into her office. Jayne kept moving toward the nurses' station ignoring everyone around him.

"Can I help you?" He turned around to see an older woman sitting behind the desk.

"Uhh… yea…" Jayne said looking around the room. "I was looking for River's room."

"River…You mean River Tam?" She asked looking at him skeptically.

"Yea…River Tam." He rubbed the back of his neck. Jayne began to sweat under the accusing eye of the nurse. He felt like he was fifteen years old and calling on a girl at her house.

"I'm sorry sir, but Ms. Tam is not up to having visitors today." She said as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"My name is Jayne Cobb." He immediately noticed the nurse's facial expression change from one of suspicion to one of understanding.

"Oh!" She said smiling at him. "Your River's friend. The one that got through to her."

"Yes, ma'am" He said looking around the room slightly. "I guess." He shrugged when he realized that no one was paying them any attention.

"Oh it is great to meet you." He thought her face was going to split if she widened her smile anymore.

"Yea well same here…?"

"Ruth." She nodded slightly. "You can call me Ruth."

"Yes well great to meet ya Ruth. Now can you tell me where River is?" He watched her face fall slightly.

"I'm sorry, but River is…"

"Resting. I know. Can you please just show me where her room is?" He stood there a moment shuffling from one foot to another.

"Okay." She smiled and nodded. "She's in the last room down this hall." She pointed to a long hall that sat to the left of the main room.

River's room, unlike the others he had peaked into, was the same bright shade of blue as the main room. She was quiet and he could tell by her soft even breaths she was still sleeping. He walked forward slowly almost afraid he might wake her up, but then he remembered she had been drugged, and he grew angry all over again. He looked down at her arms to see that she had been restrained to the bed; both hands and feet.

"Hey pixie." He smirked as he patted her hand lightly.

"What are you doing down here?!" He turned to see the man who had been arguing with the doctor earlier standing there; glaring at him menacingly.

"Visiting Riv." He said nonchalantly.

"I ain't ever seen you here before." He crossed his arms in an attempt to scare Jayne; it didn't work.

"Cause I ain't ever been up here before today." Jayne scoffed.

"What the hell are you doing in Lil' Albatross' room?" Jayne had to give him credit he wasn't giving up this _man in charge_ role.

"Came to visit. I visit her everyday."

"Thought you said you ain't been here before?" The man continued to glare, but remained next to the door frame.

"Like I told you, I haven't. We'd meet in the cafeteria for lunch, or lunch, or sometimes we just walk around outside on the hospitals grounds." Jayne was doing his best not to yell at this man. He didn't want to get kicked out, and something told him that he would be visiting her up here more often than not.

"Ah. Inara said she had a new friend. I was always wonderin' why "Tross was always late for group." The man said as he smirked down at her.

"'Tross?"

"Yea. My little nickname for her. She brings me good luck when I'm playing cards with Wash."

"Yea…" He looked back to River, and then to the man. "But 'Tross? I don't get it."

"It's from a poem. An Albatross is a bird. It use to be a ships good luck. That is until some idiot shot it since I don't plan on shooting _my 'Tross_ or letting anyone else shoot her for that matter. She's my good luck." He shrugged. Jayne suddenly hated him.

"You have a ship?"

"Well…No, but I use to. I use to Captain one." His face became lost as he thought about his past. Jayne didn't like where this was going. "I could tell ya 'bout it."

"No thanks." Jayne said looking at his watch. "Gotta get back to work."

"Maybe some other time?"

"Look…" Jayne said reaching for any excuse he could.

"Mal. Malcolm Reynolds." He stuck his hand out. Jayne took it and gave a polite shake, but pulled back quickly.

"Yea Mal. Look I said no thanks, but what I meant was I don't care." With that Jayne walked out as quickly as he could.

The garage was busy and he was currently working on some douchey red sports car. Good thing Kaylee really liked this job because he didn't care enough to memorize the cars. This was just some shitty business that his asshole father left his Ma when he took off for who knows where. He thought about maybe selling it to her and taking off for the country, but now with little River it just didn't feel right. He couldn't leave her by herself. Simon was clueless, and she didn't communicate with Kaylee, or anyone else for that matter. It was up to him to protect her.

"JAYNE!" He whipped around quickly knocking over a wrench in the process. Behind him was Kaylee. "Whoa someone's jumpy today." She smiled.

"What do ya want Kaylee?" He glared.

"What's got yer panties in a twist?" She shot a glare back at him, but then she took in the look on his face and knew instantly what was wrong. "You went to the hospital during lunch didn't you?"

"Yea. I went." He sighed quietly. "What did ya need?"

"Did ya finish the work on that Miata?" He stared at her blankly. She rolled her eyed with a huff. "The Mazda!" Another blank stare. "The shiny red car that's behind ya. Why in the blazes do you even work in an auto shop for?"

"You know why Kay." He looked down at his oil covered hands and then back up at her. "Yea…it's done."

"Great! Could you get the asshat owner out of the lobby then?" She asked while motioning with her thumb in the general direction of the front office.

"Asshat? Is that even a word?" He chuckled.

"Does it matter? The guy's a pig. Just do the big scary man thing and get him outta here." She pleaded.

" A guy owns this car?" He asked laughing at the idea of this being a man's car. It just looked so girly. "Alright I'll take care of it."

"Thanks Jayne." She grinned from ear to ear at him

Jayne heard the voice before he saw the man, and he knew in an instant who was in the lobby. He laughed at himself thinking that the car definitely fit the man. It was Dr. Wing, or as Simon so lovingly called him, Atherton. Jayne rolled his eyes while he waited for him to acknowledge that someone was waiting to talk to him. While that went on he couldn't help but overhear Atherton's portion of the conversation.

"I'm telling you I don't think it will be long until she gives in." It was silent for a moment as the person on the other end responded. "No, she got me with a knife the other day when I tried to touch her in my office. I have no clue where the little bitch got the knife, but I'm willing to bet she's regretting that decision now. Or at least she would if she'd been awake for the past two days." Jayne felt his face grow hot as he listened to this prick drone on about how River was being punished for protecting herself from him. His fists clenched and unclenched steadily. "No, I'm thinking that I'll just keep alternating between showing her affection, and drugging her." Another pause as the other person responded. "NO! That's the best part of it all. The crazy little bitch actually believes that I had something to do with the accident that killed her parents! She's so terrified that I'll hurt her brother, or that ass of a country bumpkin she's been hanging out with." Jayne began to take slow deliberate steps towards Dr. Wing. "No, no, I'm just going to let her keep believing. That way she'll stay her quite, mute little self, so long as I can get that inbred hick away from her. If he has his way she'll be speaking within a few weeks."

Jayne couldn't say what exactly happened, but one minute he was staring at the back of that asshole's head, and then the next he was on top of him just letting his fists pound into his face. Atherton's nose was obviously broken as blood flowed like a stream down his face. Jayne could see just under the blood where the stitches were on his right cheek from his pixie defending herself from this creep. He could hear Kaylee screeching in the background. Finally one of the other employees in his shop finally pulled him off of Wing.

"What the hell is your problem?" Atherton yelled cupping his hands to his face.

"Don't you ever talk about River." He said as he pointed an accusatory finger into his chest hard.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Atherton harshly asked as he finally got up from off of the floor. Jayne had to hand it to his employees, not one of them bothered to ask if he was okay or even help him up. They knew if he was kicking someone's ass then he had a good reason.

"I don't ever want to hear River's name come out of your mouth again!" Jayne spat.

"You've made a huge mistake!" Atherton warned when he realized who it was that had just wiped the floor with his face. He immediately started walking towards the door. "If you think they'll let you on hospital property now…you had better think again!"

"If you think you'll ever be around the girl again, after I tell her brother what I jus' heard ya sayin', you better think again!" Jayne warned right back.

"Oh…" Atherton laughed as he smiled smugly. "You're in love with her, aren't you?" Jayne wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk right off his face.

"Don't know what yer talkin' about." Jayne crossed his arms. In the lull of the physical fighting, Kaylee had taken the opportunity to pull the doctors car around to the front.

"You're reaching far beyond your social class, don't you think?" Atherton spat. "She's a wealthy heiress who's had more training, and education by the time she was five, than you've had in the entirety of your worthless like." He paused momentarily with a look on his face like he'd just stepped in dog shit. "And you think that _**River**_ would stoop so low as to choose you over me?" he laughed again. "You're even crazier than she is!" Jayne crossed the room in an instant and cold cocked Atherton in the nose; taking pleasure in the sickening crack it made as it flattened against his face.

"Kaylee is _Mister_ Wing all squared away?" he called back over his shoulder.

"Yep, boss, paid in advance." She nodded, unsure if she should call Simon at the hospital to give him a heads up, or not.

"Good…now get the hell off of my property, and I don't ever want to see you again." Jayne kicked him one last time for good measure. Atherton stumbled out the door and got into his Miata. As soon as his car left Jayne's sights he quickly ran for his own beat up truck speeding off to the hospital hoping he could get there before Atherton did

Jayne's heart dropped when he walked through the entrance of the hospital. Asshole Wing was there arguing with Simon at the front desk, with two security guards flanking him. He was wishing, with everything in his body, that River wasn't there; that she was still knocked out upstairs in the ward. No such luck. There she was standing by Simon's side looking more beautiful than anyone had the right to. It broke Jayne's heart even more that she was crying. He took a deep breath and stepped slowly towards the small group.

"That's him! That's the man who assaulted me!" Atherton said pointing an accusatory finger at Jayne's face. "I want him arrested!"

"Best be getting' your finger outta my face before you only got 9 of 'em." Jayne growled at him.

"See! Do you see how he threatens me!" Atherton screeched causing both security guards to wince. "I want him thrown in jail for assault!"

"Doctor Wing…as I told you before," The guard gave an annoyed sigh. "We are just security guards. We can't arrest anyone. However, we can escort this man off of the premises, and call the police, if you want."

"I think escorting him off the premises should be sufficient enough." Atherton said with a Cheshire grin on his face. The guards, rather than grabbing Jayne by the arm, simply pointed towards the exit. Just before they reached the exit they heard a commotion behind them.

"River! No!" Simon cried trying to pull his sister off the already bloodied Wing. Both guards, who had been escorting Jayne out, ran back to help get River off of Atherton's back. Jayne ran back, too, not giving a rat's ass in space that he wasn't suppose to be there. He needed to help River.

"River! Stop!" Jayne said loudly. She immediately stopped, loosened her grip, and stood there staring at him with tears flowing down her cheeks. "Yer only gonna make things worse fer ya, Pixie." He said with the softest tone he could emit.

"I told you Simon!" Atherton screeched again. "You see how he poisons her mind? How he tricks her into behaving inappropriately? You need to make a decision right now. I can help your sister, or you can leave her in the hands of this… man." Simon looked between the two, and looked sadly back at his sister.

"I'm sorry River. I just can't allow this friendly relationship between you and Mr. Cobb to continue." Simon gulped. "I need you to get better, and I believe that it will only happen of Doctor Wing is the one treating you."

"I'm sorry pixie." Jayne sighed trying his best to hold back tears that would surely fall when he got back to his truck. As he turned to walk away he heard River struggling against someone crying out, still not sing words. He imagined it was Simon holding her back. He couldn't allow himself to look back at her and see disappointment in her eyes; that he wasn't going to save her.

Jayne was teetering on a fine line between homicidal rage and depression. On one hand he wanted nothing more then to pound Atherton's face in, and on the other hand he was never going to see River again. The last thought just pissed him off more. He looked around his bedroom. Nothing. No one. Just pictures scattered around; distant memories that didn't seem to matter anymore. He looked down at a photo. It was of Mattie, just a few short years ago happy and smiling. He smacked the frame off the dresser. His ears perked as the glass shattered against the ground. He decided in that moment he needed a drink.

Five solid hours of drinking and he was absolutely trashed. He was pretty sure every picture was broken, and all the vases were smashed. Any item that could be shattered…was. He looked at his handy work, and, not only did he feel alone, he felt like a complete ass. He knew he should feel humiliated, ashamed of what he had done, but he just didn't care anymore. Who was there to see his downfall? No one, that's who. He was alone. That was when his stomach started to churn. He bolted for the bathroom just barely making it to the toilet to vomit. He looked up from his spot on the ground to yell, or scream, or curse God; he hadn't really decided. Then he saw it. An old bottle of Mattie's pain medication just sitting on the counter.

_Fuck it_ he thought as he popped the top and downed the entire bottle. Just as he was about to lose consciousness he thought he saw the bathroom door open and a shadow enter the room.

Jayne woke up with a sore throat and a bad hang over. He looked over to see Ruth, the nurse from the other day. She was smiling at him while she adjusted some of the machines by his bed. She gave him a polite nod and exited the room quickly leaving Jayne with more questions than answers. After a few minutes an older man walked into the room with a clip board.

"Good morning, Mr. Cobb." He smiled at him. "Do you know where you are?"

"Uh… a hospital?" Jayne answered as he raised his head to look around the room.

"Yes." He smiled again this time a bit more smugly. Jayne wondered if all doctors were required to have that smile in their repertoire. "Do you know which hospital? And do you remember what happened?"

"Uhh." Jayne looked around the room trying to figure out exactly where he was in the hospital. This didn't look like the normal rooms at all.

"You tried to take your life last night Mr. Cobb. Your stomach had to be pumped." He paused. "You very nearly died."

"Okay… So when can I leave?" He asked him.

"When we deem that you are no longer a threat to yourself or others." The doctor said coldly.

"And just how long will that take?"

"I can't answer that right now. It could be three days, a month, even a year. It's hard to tell with most patients. We will just have to wait and see." The doctor looked at his notes once more. "Now it seems you have a special friend who's been waiting for you to wake up for quite some time." Just as the doctor went to exit the room he turned to look back at Jayne. "I haven't restricted your movements because I believe you won't try something so stupid again. Please don't prove me wrong, Mr. Cobb."

Jayne sat in a stunned silence barely able to breath/ Hearing soft footsteps just by the door, he looked up to see River standing there. He could tell right away that she was upset. Moving across his room quickly she slapped him in the face. He heard the sound before he felt the sting.

"OW! Now what in the sphincter hell was that fer?" He hollered holding a hand to his burning cheek. She began to sign then gave an exasperated sigh and pulled out a small notebook and pen. She began to write quickly and tried to hand him the note. He looked away not wanting to take it. She grabbed his hand and ripped open his finger as she forcefully pressed the note into his hand.

_You tried to leave me._

"Yea. So what?" He growled.

_Why?_ She quickly scrawled on another sheet.

"Cause when I got home I was alone." He spat. "My ma's gone, Mattie's gone, and you was gone cause I wasn't allowed to come see you anymore. I was alone. I couldn't take it anymore." She glared at him before writing another message and handing it to him.

_You are not alone._

As he looked up she lifted one of the sleeves on her trademark sweater, and there he saw a long jagged vertical scar starting at her wrist and disappearing up under the material. She unrolled it slowly and wrote another note.

_Now when you stop feeling sorry for yourself you can join me and the rest of my friends out in the main room. _She smiled briefly before she darted out of the room, leaving Jayne feeling both rudely assaulted, and strangely bettered. He gave a quiet sigh, heaved himself off of the bed, and looked around the room once more. He spotted a pair of scrub pants someone had left for him. He quickly put them on and headed for the door.

**Let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Please read and review.**


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